Where Do Texts From a Blocked Number Go? iPhone and Android
Reviewed by Jacob Reed, founder of Verity ·
Short answer
On an iPhone, texts and iMessages from a blocked number are not delivered and are not saved anywhere on your phone. Calls don't ring, but the person can still leave a voicemail; you just aren't notified. On Android, Google Messages moves blocked conversations into a Spam & blocked folder, so you can still open them. If you may need proof of what someone keeps sending, save the conversation before you block, and ask your lawyer whether to block at all.
Blocking is often the right call for your peace of mind. But it changes what evidence exists. On some phones the messages are simply gone, and a judge can't weigh messages nobody kept.
What happens on an iPhone?
Apple says messages from a blocked contact won't be delivered, and the sender isn't told they were blocked. There is no hidden folder of blocked texts to recover later. Calls go unanswered, but the person can still leave a voicemail and you won't get a notification; on many iPhones those voicemails sit in a separate "Blocked Messages" list at the bottom of the voicemail screen.
To see who you've blocked: on iOS 26, Settings, Privacy & Security, Blocked Contacts. On iOS 18 and earlier, Settings, Phone, Blocked Contacts.
What happens on Android?
It depends on the messaging app. In Google Messages (the default on Pixel and many other phones), blocked and reported conversations go to the Spam & blocked folder, reached from the menu or your profile picture. You can open them there, and the list of blocked numbers is in the same place. If you report a conversation as spam, Google receives a copy of the last few incoming messages.
In Samsung Messages, blocked numbers are listed under the menu, Settings, Block numbers and spam. What happens to the messages themselves varies by phone and software version, so check that menu on your own phone before you rely on it.
Should you block if you might need evidence?
That is a question for your lawyer, and the answer depends on what you're dealing with. Some options in between:
- Save the whole conversation first, then block. What was sent before the block is kept.
- Mute the conversation instead of blocking, so it stops notifying you but keeps collecting.
- On Android, block in Google Messages, where blocked messages are still kept.
- If a court order requires you to communicate, use the app or channel it names rather than blocking.
If messages are threatening, see what to do about threatening text messages and texts as evidence for a protective order. If you are in danger right now, call 911.
What if they keep texting from new numbers?
A block only covers the number or address you blocked. If the same person starts again from a new number, an email, or another app, write down each new number with the date it first appeared, and save those conversations too. A pattern of getting around a block can matter, especially if there is a no-contact order.
Can the phone company get blocked texts back?
Phone companies generally keep records of who texted whom and when, not the words. Our guide on getting texts from your carrier explains what they hold. Your lawyer can tell you whether those records are worth requesting in your case.
How can Verity help?
Before you block, export the conversation. Verity turns the export into a numbered list of every message in date order with a free preview of the patterns in it, so the history is kept even after the number is blocked. The file is read in your browser and is not uploaded.
This is general information, not legal advice. Phone menus change between software versions. Verity is not a law firm.
Save the conversation before you block
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